John Swinney: Scotland is at the limits of devolution

Scotland is reaching “the limits of devolution”, the first minister has said.

Launching a new paper which claims households could be £10,000 better-off “over time” with independence, John Swinney said the United Kingdom “has failed” on living standards and there is “not a scrap of evidence” to show that the economic case behind 2014’s “No” vote had been correct.

He said the Scottish Government had worked “as hard as [it] can to create differential outcomes” for the people it serves as living standards in the UK are outstripped by those of other European countries.

The SNP leader said self-government has “worked” for Scotland. However, he went on: “We are either reaching or have reached the limits of devolution.”

The claim comes 26 years after the re-establishment of the Scottish Parliament, which followed a referendum in 1999.

Swinney said the Scottish Child Payment shows ministers in Edinburgh have taken “big, bold steps” with policy and denied that the new document, titled A Fresh Start with Independence, is an attempt at party management ahead of the weekend’s SNP conference in Aberdeen.

The paper restates the Scottish Government’s ambition for an independent nation-state within the EU and defence alliance Nato, but without nuclear weapons and following in the examples set by northern European neighbours such as Denmark.

On what’s new in the prospectus, which follows a succession of reports produced by the SNP administration on the constitution, culture and more, Swinney said it sets out the independence case in relation to “what people are wrestling with” today, with income inequality higher than in comparator countries such as Ireland and Belgium.

Speaking at the national portrait gallery in Edinburgh, he said: “Too many people in Scotland today do not have a decent standard of living and are finding it difficult to make ends meet. That is because standards of living in the UK have improved little in over 10 years, due to a failing economic system and Westminster decisions such as austerity and the disastrous decision to leave the European Union. Scotland did not support austerity and it did not support Brexit. The reality is Westminster is not working for Scotland.

“The Scottish Government works tirelessly to use the powers of devolution to deliver the very best for Scotland. Much good has been achieved through the expansion of early learning and childcare, the introduction of free university tuition, the expansion of the rail network, the introduction of minimum unit pricing of alcohol, the creation of the Scottish Child Payment and many other measures.

“But Scotland needs to be able to improve the opportunities available to our people, our communities and our businesses. Scotland needs to build a stronger, more inclusive economy that works for all. Those possibilities would only be available to Scotland with the fresh start of independence.

“We have shown that when we have the power to decide for ourselves, we find solutions and make choices that best serve Scotland’s interests. I believe Scotland can and will become a successful independent country, with a more dynamic economy and a fairer society.”

SNP delegates will discuss and vote on the party’s independence strategy on Saturday.

Commenting on the speech, Scottish Conservative deputy leader Rachael Hamilton said: “John Swinney’s launch of yet another fantasy paper on the SNP’s independence obsession shows how out of touch he is with ordinary Scots. 

“On his watch, Scotland’s NHS is on life support, school discipline has collapsed, our roads are crumbling and household bills are soaring, yet his priority is breaking up the UK.  

“The public expect the first minister to focus on fixing the mess the SNP have created, but, as always, he’s distracted from the day job by his life’s obsession.

“Our message is simple: move on John. Independence would make Scotland poorer and everyone would suffer the consequences of the SNP’s economic sabotage.

“The SNP have spent a decade taxing ambitious and aspirational Scots to the hilt. If they want to make people better off, they should do it now and cut bills.”